Toying with mounting cameras inside on upper window casing

[Bryan]

Presently have my 2 cameras sitting in the window sill while waiting for a contract to get new roofing. I bought an NVR and the cameras in January..presently just learning how things work. They work rather well behind the window, except when you turn a room light on at night. Got to toying with a crazy idea of maybe mounting cameras to the upper horizontal window casing. I could run the cable 1ft up and behind the ceiling trim, and for distant rooms drill a small hole between the uninsulated inner walls to go back to the NVR. Looks to be about 2 ft lower than the outside roof overhang.

As I mentioned, works well in the day with only minor reflections, at night only problems are when a room light is on (reflections), and I have to turn the camera IR light off (reflects). The IR problem doesn't bother me, since I was planning to use remote IR lights to keep bugs from bouncing around near the cameras anyway. Already have an IR light on the sill behind another window and it works great. I wouldn't have to worry about blowing rain (sometimes horizontal here). Inside is also protected with a Honeywell security system by the local telephone company.

Does this sound nuts?

 

[Kawboy12R]

I'd mount outside.

 

[Camit]

Putting your camera behind a window will make the camera worthless. Why not just mount it under the soffit outside?

 

[zero-degrees]

Cameras for monitoring outside scenes go outside, cameras for monitoring inside scenes go inside. Doing anything other than this short changes you and limits your hardwares ability.


Also consider turret cameras vs. traditional IR Halo ring cameras. This will reduce the bug attraction and blowing rain isn't really a big deal with them either.

 

[Bryan]

How would mounting inside limit them other than what i noted? Is there some other factor I'm not aware of?

 

[Kawboy12R]

Do you like the look of them inside? Is the angle and FOV perfect? Have you placed signs outside saying please don't burgle me when the inside lights are on? "Here" that last problem would be the killer. It gets dark by 5pm in the winter so there's a long crappy window for footage.

 

[zero-degrees]

placing a camera behind a window can cause a lot of issues. You obviously note the reflection problems with both lighting inside the home as well as restrictions it places on IR. Also when looking at an angle though glass you can cause focus issues should the window become dirty or if you have a screen in the window as well. Never mind the fact that these products were not designed to be used this way, these products are IP66 for a reason...

 

[Arjun]

Get ready for a lot of Windex, lol

 

[Camit]

How would mounting inside limit them other than what i noted? Is there some other factor I'm not aware of?

I just don't understand why you won't listen,and mount the camera outside? The glass from a window is reflective so having the ir on is out of the question. Security cameras at night are hard enough to configure the picture at night,putting it facing a window makes it impossible. The whole point of a security camera is to get a facial ID so you can show it to the cops when something happens. When putting a camera behind a window you can't get facial Id shots, can't use it at night. You will have tons of reflection problems. Like everyone here is telling you don't do it you will be wasting your money and time. It's like buying a product and only getting 30% of the usefulness out of it.

 

[Bryan]

Who said I won't listen..just wanted to know the reasoning instead of hearing just "no". The focusing/FOV issue is something I didn't consider. Plus the crime deterrent - and now that I think of it a long time ago before I even got this system, my brother told me his old analog outside cameras (plus him convincing the neighbors to get some) kept the crackheads out of their area. I'll get them mounted outside when we get the new roof installed.

 

[aristobrat]

Here's a shot from just before midnight from a 5231 turret that I ran inside a window for a few days (until I had time to go outside and mount it).

You can see the streetlights reflecting in the window (mostly because the camera wasn't flush with the window), but for an overview camera, I still found the image useful. This was an overview camera even when it went outside. It was never meant for facial ID.

I agree that outside is the best approach, but my brief inside experience still pulled some OK images.

 

[Solar Deity]

I have the HDBW5231R-Z temporarily mounted in the window and a tripwire setup on my neighbors driveway. Everything works just fine and the images are usable. i have it in day mode 24/7 as I cannot use the onboard IR. It is temporary, as this is for an interior pole barn solution.

Keep in mind, it's a video of the lcd screen, so the typical flickering is present but you can see the IVS/MD functionality .


SD

 

[Kawboy12R]

I'd be interested to see pics of the install jobs inside the windows and hear how indoor installation passes the wife test. I've mounted a camera looking out a window in an older home before but had undesirable consequences including glare and even houseflies. It was a low light indoor bullet with no IR fitted with 5-50mm lens into a lit yard with dusk till dawn light.

But, if it works well enough for you and you're happy? It's your evidence you're compromising a bit as long as you think the tradeoffs are worth it. Go for it.

 

[Solar Deity]

I'd be interested to see pics of the install jobs inside the windows and hear how indoor installation passes the wife test. I've mounted a camera looking out a window in an older home before but had undesirable consequences including glare and even houseflies. It was a low light indoor bullet with no IR fitted with 5-50mm lens into a lit yard with dusk till dawn light.

But, if it works well enough for you and you're happy? It's your evidence you're compromising a bit as long as you think the tradeoffs are worth it. Go for it.

It does NOT pass the wife test!! She realizes its only temporary, and let me try it. I hid it behind the curtain and she still mentions it every day. "When is that thing going?"

It's headed to its permanent location on 4/1.

SD

 

[aristobrat]

Mine was in an unfinished room over the garage (aka storage), so nobody noticed it.

 

[wxman]

I've had a window cam for years that mostly serves me well. Obviously I can't use IR light, but I run it in color 24/7 anyway, so that's no issue for me. I just hung a large beach towel over the top part of that window (inside the curtains) to block light from the room causing any glare at night...Sometimes in the winter when there's big temp changes, the window fogs up (old, leaky storm windows) but most of the time it's fine. It's a north-facing window in the United States, so typically no issues with sunlight reflection, other than for a brief period in the summer at sunrise/sunset when there's a little glare that creeps into the corners of the windows.

Like you, it was originally put there temporarily to test the cam and was an unintended permanent mounting place...but it was a cheap cam and I liked the view so much, I just left it mounted there and got another one for putting outside....Despite it's limitations, it has it's positives; such as the ability to use cheaper indoor webcams that aren't waterproof and better lightning protection than having wires running outside. The limitations are too many to rely on that camera alone, but it does make for a good, cheap addition

 

[hmjgriffon]

It does NOT pass the wife test!! She realizes its only temporary, and let me try it. I hid it behind the curtain and she still mentions it every day. "When is that thing going?"

It's headed to its permanent location on 4/1.

SD

well that's annoying lol.

 

[Bryan]

Yeah..and had an alarm yesterday afternoon from a fly on the window..wonder if flies landing on an outside camera lens would also set it off (or would be just too big for max target size)?

 

[Kawboy12R]

Big flies, hornets, etc outside set them off too. The problem inside if you have flies is that the window glass funnels them right in front of a close mounted lens. Houseflies will drive you nuts for motion alerts if you don't stick a tube or something to the window. That'll help for glare from internal lights as well. Sticking a toilet paper roll to your window won't help with the WAF though.

 

[Solar Deity]

Ok, These are going outside but............

My neighbor has an ongoing feud with another neighbor. Everyone is getting cameras on the street because of this guy.

The temporary camera in the window capped the entire event! Tripwire worked great too.



SD